科学界普遍认为，距今7,000年前最后一次冰川运动结束，标志着全球进入现代气候时代.
In the Earth's climate history the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was the last time period during the last glacial period when ice sheets were at their greatest extension. Vast ice sheets covered much of North America, northern Europe, and Asia. The ice sheets profoundly affected Earth's climate by causing drought, desertification, and a dramatic drop in sea levels.[1] Growth of the ice sheets reached its maximum at about 26,500 years ago (26.5 ka BP). Deglaciation commenced in the Northern Hemisphere at approximately 20 ka and in Antarctica approximately at 14.5 ka, which is consistent with evidence that it was the primary source for an abrupt rise in the sea level at about 14.5 ka.[2]
The LGM is referred to in Britain as the Dimlington Stadial, dated by Nick Ashton to between 31 and 16 ka.[3][clarification needed][4] In the archaeology of Paleolithic Europe, the LGM spans the Gravettian, Solutrean and Magdalenian.
The LGM was followed by the Late Glacial.
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The Late Glacial climate warming (c. 13,000–10,000 years ago), or Tardiglacial ("Late Glacial"),[1] is defined primarily by the beginning of the modern warm period, in which temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere rose substantially, causing a process of accelerated deglaciation following the Last Glacial Maximum (c. 25,000–13,000 years ago).[2] At this time, human populations, previously forced into refuge areas as a result of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) climatic conditions, gradually begin to repopulate the Northern Hemisphere's Eurasian landmass and eventually populate North America via Beringia for the first time. The Late Glacial Interstadial c.14,670 to c.12,890 BP represents the first pronounced warming since the end of the LGM.[3]
